Fleetguard Filter FS19761

I received the following email today from a vegcar.net reader.

I've used your guide to changing filters for a year now, Thank you! I have a question. I am trying to figure out what number the filter is from Fleetguard so I can purchase them in greater number.

I was happy to hear that he has been using our step-by-step filter change guide to change the filter in his Davco 234 heat exchanger. The filter that goes in the Davco is a Fleetguard FS19761 filter (2 microns). I just bought a case of 6 from the Kenworth Dealer in Fresno, CA for $92 including tax.

Filling a tote

Here are a couple more photos of us filling our totes with the filtered WVO from Sphere Energy. I just returned from a 400 mile roundtrip to the Bay Area on the new fuel. The car ran great.

Great souce for filtered WVO

I get emails from time to time from people asking where they can buy filtered wvo for their vegcar. Today we got our second delivery from a company out of San Luis Obispo, CA called Sphere Energy. The owner, 23 year old Ian Hoover, is a very bright mechanical engineer who is devoted to alternative fuels an wvo in particular. I have a short video interview I made today that I will post to the blog soon.

He separates the oil after heating and filtering it. The "sludge" is picked up by another renderer. The creamy stuff is sold to a biodiesel plant and the "amber" is sold to vegcar drivers like me. We purchased three 330 gallon "totes" filled with 5 micron filtered wvo for $1.75/gallon (delivered 200 miles!).

I recommend Ian highly. I have already run 165 gallons of his oil through my car (a previous test order). The oil performed perfectly, even through the 20 degree winter weather.

Watcha got in the truck?

Here is my truck (yes, it runs on gasoline!) full of cubies of wvo and a couple of new barrels. When I collect oil I do so in my vegcar. On this day my friends and I were divying up the 330 gallons of filtered wvo we purchased. I could haul more in the truck.

For those out there who haven't started collecting wvo from restaurants here are a couple of truths:

1. Unless you are incredibly fastidious, everything gets a little sticky and starts to smell like old, used cooking oil. I recommend having some clothes just for collecting oil and wearing rubber gloves.
2. Collecting oil is fun (at least I think so)
3. Be gracious to the restaurant staff
4. Leave the area as clean or cleaner than when you arrived

330 Gallon Totes

We have started using 330 gallon "totes" to store and dispense wvo. Here I am with the 660 gallons we purchased a couple of months back. As the season warms up, I will likely get back to collecting and filtering my own. Filtering in the winter is just too slow with my current setup. I am still reluctant to put additional energy into heating the oil to facilitate filtering.

Davco Filter / Water - Separator / Heater

This is the fuel filter/heater that I have in my 1984 Mercedes 300D. This is the description from the Davco Technology, LLC website.

The Model 234 is the first Fuel Filter, Water- Separator, Heater of its kind developed for the Alternative Diesel Fuel Market.

This unique system uses heat drawn from the cooling system, or the automatic transmission, and routed through an internal radiator to provide the maximum amount of heat during operation and maximum life with its Plus sized filter.

My experience has been excellent with this system. I especially appreciate the transparent dome on the unit. This allows me to easily see when the filter is dirty and ready to be changed. When the car is cold and the fuel level in the unit is still near the top, it is time to change the filter.